Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, in which an operating system (OS) is executable in such a way that a component operable based on administrator's authority can realize installation of a device driver. The information processing apparatus includes a selection unit configured to select a peripheral device that serves as an output destination of a processing request if the processing request is received from a user via an application, and a management unit configured to control setting processing for a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device to use the peripheral device. The management unit is configured to request a first component operable on the OS based on administrator's authority to perform setting processing for a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An information processing apparatus, in which an operating system (OS) is executable in such a way that a component operable based on administrator's authority can realize installation of a device driver, the information processing apparatus comprising
 a selection unit configured to select a peripheral device that serves as an output destination of a processing request if the processing request is received from a user via an application; and 
 a management unit configured to control installation of a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device to use the peripheral device, 
 wherein the management unit is configured to request a first component operable on the OS based on administrator's authority to perform installation of a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device, 
 wherein the first component is a component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by a spooler service as a second component operable based on administrator's authority, which is provided as a part of functions of the OS, 
 wherein when a driver selected by the user is a virtual driver having been installed without identifying any output destination of the processing request, the selection unit is configured to select the peripheral device that serves as the output destination of the processing request, and 
 wherein the first component is a component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by the second component when the virtual driver is installed. 
 
     
     
       2. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the management unit is further configured to request the first component to perform setting processing for the installed device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device, and the setting processing for the installed device driver includes at least one of generation of a port of the device driver and generation of a queue that corresponds to the selected peripheral device. 
     
     
       3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first component is a language monitor loaded by the spooler service. 
     
     
       4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a universal printer driver applicable to a plurality of device models is installed when the virtual driver is installed, and the management unit is configured to request the first component to generate a port of the universal printer driver to use the selected peripheral device. 
     
     
       5. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the management unit is configured to execute the installation of the device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device based on present authority, before requesting the first component to perform the installation of the device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device. 
     
     
       6. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, in which an operating system (OS) is executable in such a way that a component operable based on administrator's authority can realize installation of a device driver, the method comprising:
 selecting a peripheral device that serves as an output destination of a processing request if the processing request is received from a user via an application; and 
 controlling installation of a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device to use the peripheral device, 
 wherein the method further comprises requesting a first component operable on the OS based on administrator's authority to perform installation of a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device, 
 wherein the first component is a component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by a spooler service as a second component operable based on administrator's authority, which is provided as a part of functions of the OS, 
 wherein when a driver selected by the user is a virtual driver having been installed without identifying any output destination of the processing request, the selecting selects the peripheral device that serves as the output destination of the processing request, and 
 wherein the first component is a component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by the second component when the virtual driver is installed. 
 
     
     
       7. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer to control an information processing apparatus in which an operating system (OS) is executable in such a way that a component operable based on administrator's authority can realize installation of a device driver, the program comprising:
 computer-executable instructions for selecting a peripheral device that serves as an output destination of a processing request if the processing request is received from a user via an application; and 
 computer-executable instructions for controlling installation of a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device to use the peripheral device, 
 wherein the program further comprises computer-executable instructions for requesting a first component operable on the OS based on administrator's 
 authority to perform installation of a device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device, 
 wherein the first component is a component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by a spooler service as a second component operable based on administrator's authority, which is provided as a part of functions of the OS, 
 wherein when a driver selected by the user is a virtual driver having been installed without identifying any output destination of the processing request, the instructions for selecting select the peripheral device that serves as the output destination of the processing request, and 
 wherein the first component is a component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by the second component when the virtual driver is installed. 
 
     
     
       8. A printing system including an information processing apparatus, in which an operating system (OS) is executable in such a way that a component operable based on administrator's authority can realize installation of a printer driver, in addition to a printer, the printing system comprising:
 a holding unit configured to hold intermediate format data, as a print target, if a print instruction is received from a user via an application; 
 a reception unit configured to receive a print request including printer information from the printer; 
 a management unit configured to control installation of a printer driver applicable to the printer based on the received printer information; and 
 a transmission unit configured to transmit a print job, which can be generated based on the stored intermediate format data using the installed printer driver, to the printer, 
 wherein the management unit is configured to request, after the intermediate format data is held by the holding unit, a component operable on the OS based on administrator's authority to perform the installation of the printer driver applicable to the printer, 
 wherein when the printer driver is a virtual driver having been installed without identifying any output destination of the print request, the printer serves as the output destination of the print request, and 
 wherein the component is a first component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by a second component when the virtual driver is installed. 
 
     
     
       9. The printing system according to  claim 8 , wherein the management unit is further configured to request the first component to perform setting processing for the installed device driver applicable to the selected peripheral device, and the setting processing for the installed printer driver includes at least one of generation of a port of the printer driver and generation of a queue that corresponds to the printer. 
     
     
       10. A method for controlling a printing system including an information processing apparatus, in which an operating system (OS) is executable in such a way that a component operable based on administrator's authority can realize installation of a printer driver, in addition to a printer, the method comprising:
 holding intermediate format data, as a print target, if a print instruction is received from a user via an application; 
 receiving a print request including printer information from the printer; 
 controlling installation of a printer driver applicable to the printer based on the received printer information; and 
 transmitting a print job, which can be generated based on the stored intermediate format data using the installed printer driver, to the printer, 
 wherein the method further comprises requesting, after the intermediate format data is held, a component operable on the OS based on administrator's authority to perform the installation of a printer driver applicable to the printer, 
 wherein when the printer driver is a virtual driver having been installed without identifying any output destination of the print request, the printer serves as the output destination of the print request, and 
 wherein the component is a first component to be set up in such a way as to be managed by a second component when the virtual driver is installed.